Abstract. In some applications of Galerkin boundary element methods one has to compute integrals which, after proper normalization, are of the formIn this paper we derive error estimates for a numerical approach recently proposed to evaluate the above integral when a p−, or h − p, formulation of a Galerkin method is used. This approach suggests approximating the inner integral by a quadrature formula of interpolatory type that exactly integrates the Cauchy kernel, and the outer integral by a rule which takes into account the log endpoint singularities of its integrand. Some numerical examples are also given.